hand feeding?

I'm wondering how you all feel about hand feeding as opposed to using "tongs" or similar. I've been hand feeding mine since he got here. I am using frozen mice, and he seems to take it better if I am holding it than when I try to use tongs/hemostat.

Any opinions?

You are asking to get struck. Why would you want to risk doing damage to yourself or your BP? Get some tongs...And hopefully those mice are thawed :)

I wouldn't recommend it. What are you going to do when he's older, has a larger strike range and targets in on the warmth of your hand?

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Originally Posted by jglass38

And hopefully those mice are thawed :)

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Oh yeah, and that too! ;)

You are running the risk of getting struck, there aim isn't always true, if you get struck it will surprise you more than anything, pain wise feels like a paper cut, may bleed some. At this point I would get your snake used to the tongs.

Getting bitten by a snake during feeding is not a fun experience. Unlike when snakes strike defensively, when they strike for food they tend to latch on and attempt to constrict. Feeding 'by hand' is a bad idea not for the pain it will cause you but the feeding problems it can cause with your snake. If it were to bite you, you would probably have to pull it off. This will cause the animal to become very stressed. A bad feeding event like that can also cause a ball python to loose interest in food and become a trouble feeder especially with younger ball pythons.

I use hemostats that I bought from LLL Reptile, one set for each snake (to avoid possible cross contamination). I like'em. :)

The cheaper bamboo tongs I had before were fatiguing for my hands if I had to hold the mouse for too long, waiting for either snake to strike.

Tongs are your friend. Seems to me for shy feeders the tongs are less intimidating than a big hand coming at them. I use 12" tweezers for the smallest snakes up to a 24" hemostat for the big boas. Since using tongs I've never been bitten while feeding the snakes. :)

I'm the same way. I use 12" tweezers for anything less than 3 feet, and the 18" Hemostats for the big ones. Even with the tweezers, I get snakes that will try to move around the warmed rat because apparently my hand looks more inviting. I have to move my hand around and keep the rat in their face. Oh, and some of my girls have THE worst aim. I would never feed by hand. :colbert:

The hemos are a good idea. Your hand will give off too much of a heat signature. I even turn off the nearby incandescent bulbs in case the heat frrom them would confuse the snakes (while feeding.)